"If You Give a Kid a Bus Pass, They’ll Go Far": Reflections from the Alberta Ecotrust Environmental Gathering
On May 9, I had the joy and privilege of traveling to Calgary to speak at the 2025 Alberta Ecotrust Environmental Gathering. Over 200 passionate changemakers gathered to talk about building a better Alberta, and I left feeling inspired, recharged, and more hopeful than ever. Representing Get on the Bus, I joined a panel titled From Learning to Leading: How Youth Can Shape the World. And wow, what a world we’re shaping.
I had the honour of sharing the stage with Tanya Richens, a reclamation specialist and children’s author, and Laura Shutiak, Executive Director of En Route in Calgary, who is leading incredible work around active transportation. Though we came from different communities and focus areas, our message was united: let kids be kids and give them the tools, like accessible transit, to thrive.
Photo of Sophia Young (left), Tanya Richens (middle) and panel moderator Carolina Neri Mercado (right). Credit: Sophia Young
During my talk, I was able to spotlight something we know deeply at Get on the Bus: increasing youth access to public transit isn’t just about getting from point A to B. It’s about freedom that improves mental well-being. We talked about research like Gray et al.'s 2023 study, which found that youth independent mobility is closely tied to lower levels of anxiety and depression. That freedom to move, explore, and be matters.
I also highlighted the beautiful transit mural Get on the Bus, created last year, which brings Indigenous and community themes to life through youth art. And I shared what we learned from our Edmonton needs assessment—an eight-month-long journey made possible by a Springboard Grant from Alberta Ecotrust. Through working with more than 13 community organizations and dozens of youth, parents, and caregivers, this assessment showed us that transit isn't just a youth issue—it’s a family issue, a mental health issue, a justice issue. It affects how much time a parent has in a day. It shapes who gets to show up and where.
And the response? It was electric.
After the talk, people from every corner of the room wanted to connect—nonprofits, transit officials, strategy groups, grassroots organizers, and, most importantly, young people themselves. You could feel the shift in the room: a shared recognition that transit is not only a ride, but a pathway to possibility.
Photo of Event Attendees. Credit: Sophia Young
Four years ago, I started advocating for fare-free youth transit in Regina. I was 16 then. Now I’m 20 and I’ve seen the movement grow from a spark into something much bigger than one voice. In under two years, Get on the Bus has supported more than 50,000 youth in 17 communities across Canada. We’ve done over 110 consultations with schools, nonprofits, city councillors, and transit staff. The tides are turning.
What we’re seeing is belief. Belief in youth. Belief that they deserve access. Belief that when you give a kid a bus pass, they will go far—not just literally, but in life.
I’m so grateful to Alberta Ecotrust for giving me this platform, to Small Change Fund for backing bold youth-led work, and to everyone who has ever believed in a young person’s voice. Together, we’re not just moving—we’re building something unstoppable.
Let’s keep riding.
Sophia Selfie!